Last Updated on September 7, 2026
Summary✨
- Michael Foley resigned as CEO of Ncell after about 10 months in office, amid skepticism about the company’s future.
- Dilli Ram Shrestha, previously Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer, has been given the authority to act as CEO effective from Bhadra 09 till the new appointment.
- Ncell has also made other management changes, including appointing Santosh Kumar Dhakal as Chief of Staff and Bishakha Lakshmi Khadka as Director of the Ncell Foundation.
- The company plans to launch a 5G network in Nepal and has over 1.22 crore 4G users in the market.
- Ncell holds over 46% market share in voice services in Nepal.
Ncell Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Michael Foley has resigned from his position. Following his resignation, the Ncell Board of Directors has given Dilli Ram Shrestha the authority of CEO, effective from Bhadra 09.
Foley had started his role as Ncell CEO on Kartik 15, 2082. But during his short-lived stint, there was mostly skepticism around the telco’s future past 2029. The outgoing CEO pitched for 4G improvement and a 5G launch. During his reign, the company submitted another letter for the launch of 5G network in Nepal. He resigned from his post after around 10 months.
The company has said, “as per the decision of the Board of Directors of this company dated 2083/05/09 BS (corresponding to August 25, 2026), under interim arrangements until a new Chief Executive Officer is appointed, authority has been granted to the company’s Chief Corporate and Regulatory Officer, Mr. Dilliram Shrestha, to exercise all authorities granted to the Chief Executive Officer under the company’s Limits of Authority. This notice is respectfully presented for your information and records”
Who is Ncell CEO Dilli Ram Shrestha?
The currently designated CEO, Dilli Ram Shrestha, has been serving at the company as the Chief Corporate and Regulatory Affairs Officer. He will now head the company as the CEO until the next CEO is appointed.
Ncell website describes him as a highly intelligent legal professional, with an LL.M. degree and a Bachelor of Laws from Nepal Law Campus. He has extensive experience in various legal roles. He has experience serving as the Country Legal Director at Bottlers Nepal Limited, Head Legal at Mega Bank Nepal Limited, Company Secretary/Chief Legal Officer at Civil Bank Limited, etc. Shrestha is also a recipient of the Excellent Legal Writing Award (2066) by the Lawyers Club, Kathmandu.
Following the resignation of Foley, there have been other changes too. It has emerged that the retired Nepal Army Major General Santosh Kumar Dhakal has assumed the role of the Chief of Staff at the leading private telco. Likewise, Ncell Director of Corporate Communications and Sustainability Bishakha Lakshmi Khadka has been appointed Director of the Ncell Foundation.
It’s been said that the telco has informed the regulator, Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), about the management changes through a letter on Bhadra 16.
So far, neither Ncell nor Foley has disclosed the reason behind the latter’s resignation. But it has been said that Foley was highly dissatisfied with the current environment, which was unfavorable for foreign investment. Recently, the government published the investigation committee’s report on the Ncell share sale. In response, the telco went to the Supreme Court and got a verdict in its favor too.
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Ncell is Nepal’s leading private operator with over 46% of the market share in voice services. The company boasts over 1.22 crore 4G users in Nepal.
